Warriors: Silent

43

      Frostcloud laid awake in her nest. On either side of her, Buckheart and Mosspool laid sleeping. Periodically, she ran her tail over her friends spine, hoping to somehow provide comfort to the broken she-cat. Like, somehow, it would make up for her absence while Mosspool suffered alone.

  An image of Littlefern chasing a squirrel came to her mind. The rodent disappeared into Bearwalkers Den, and afraid of not finding prey in the upcoming storm, Littlefern ran in after it. The squirrel leapt into the upper part of the white stone, and Littlefern followed at its heels. When he wrestled with the rodent, he knocked the bearwalkers scraps that had been preventing the swing-piece to close to the ground, and suddenly he was trapped inside.

  His hunting patrol heard him yowling soon later, and Whitestar and several other cats all tried desperately to pry the stone open; but to no avail.

  By the next day, Littlefern had stopped responding to the Clancats.

  Dustpaw had told the story to the returning patrol in more detail when Mosspool had left ear-shot. Frostcloud's heart ached. They couldn't even bury the warrior. I'm sorry, Littlefern!

  Her eyes strayed to Mosspool. "You're alive!" She had said when Frostcloud initially came back. Frostcloud's stomach lurched. Had she really thought she'd lost three of her closest Clanmates in just several dawns? "I'm sorry, Mosspool." Frostcloud murmured. Guilt flooded her heart and core, the water hot and putrid. If I didn't want to spend so much time with Smudge, we would have been back sooner.

  She sighed and pressed her flank into Mosspool. Even under such a thick coat of fur, it was obvious the she-cat hadn't been eating. Was she becoming sick too? Frostcloud decided she would ask Whitestar or Crowfur about taking out a hunting patrol with Mosspool in it before dusk. Maybe it'll distract her from Littlefern... and the air would be good for her.

  Frostcloud shook her head, trying to toss away the distressing thoughts like droplets of water. After drawing in a deep breath, she forced herself to consider more uplifting news. Such as the bear just becoming another fact to StoneClan and ValleyClan life. It hadn't managed to break through the silver gorse and enter their territory, and both Lavenderstar and Rainstar had reached an understanding that the bear wasn't an immediate threat; but the upcoming leaf-bare would be. Not to mention the bear wouldn't even be active in these upcoming moons. Even still, Frostcloud was happy it wasn't lurking around PineClan.

  Light slowly spilled into the warriors den. Frostcloud stretched her claws, the knots of her moss nest becoming tangled in her nails as she kneaded. Then deciding to wait for Crowfur outdoors, Frostcloud rose to her paws and shuffled outside.

  The air bit her ears and Frostcloud ruffled her fur to fend off the cold. She cast a glance to the leaders den. How did Whitestar feel about the death of his former apprentice? She hadn't spoke to him since returning to the Clan, aside ftom his welcoming her back and his thanks for returning Bailey.

  Cirrostratus clouds grazed the sky, which grew from grey to blue as the sun stalked further above the horizon.

  "Good morning." Dawnheart welcomed as she approached Frostcloud.

  The warrior dipped her head, "Hello, Dawnheart."

  "I'm surprised you're awake so early." The medicine cat teased as she took a seat next to the smaller she-cat, "After returning from Red Barn, I thought you would sleep for a moon."

  Frostcloud gave a flick in her ears. Murmuring, she replied, "I thought so too."

  "Littlefern?" Dawnheart guessed.

  Frostcloud nodded. "Yes. But, I'm worried about Mosspool, too."

  Dawnheart gave a perk in her ears, signifying her curiosity.

  "She's sick."

  "Is she?" Dawnheart asked, "Is she running a fever? Coughing? I've been gathering catmint; StarClan forbid a greencough epidemic this leaf-bare."

  Frostcloud shook her head, "She's not eating, it's something with her belly."

  Dawnheart didn't say anything for some moments. Ahead, Whitestar began to crawl out of his den, his jaws stretching into a yawn and his teeth casting a glimmer from the new sun. "Mosspool isn't sick. She misses her brother, the wound of his absence is fresh, and not even the strongest cobwebs could bind it."

  Frostcloud swiveled her ears towards the warriors den. Inside, she could hear cats shuffling. "You slept like you had ants in your nest, Crowfur!" She could hear Warmheart tease. Her voice was muffled, but the soft ring clear.

  "Is there a herb that can make her hungry again?" Frostcloud asked.

  "Time will make her feel better." Dawnheart consoled gently, "And now that you and Buckheart are back she'll be running in her old pawsteps again in no time."

  Frostcloud didn't say anything for a few moments. Dawnheart dipped her head and rose, "She'll learn the dead never truly leave us. They always guard us from StarClan, and sometimes they come to visit." She said gently.

  Duskpaw burst out of the apprentice den, Dustpaw at his heels. The younger grey tom spun around, suddenly leaping and landing on his playmate in a way that resembled how Buckheart wrestled with rabbits. "Wow! Where'd you learn to do that?" Shalepaw exclaimed, her eyes glowing from the shadows of the bramble.

  "Yeah! Show us how!" Doepaw all but demanded as she bounded after her brother, who was rolling off Dustpaw.

  The two watched the apprentices and Dawnheart twitched her whiskers at their excitement. "Clan life will go on, you'll see. It always does."